Love of my Life

30.

"SANA.... SANA!!!!" Subbu shouted from his room.

"Aayi!!! ek minute Anna" she came in with a duster cloth in her hand, tired and weary. "Kya hain? Why are you shouting so much?" she stricked back wiping sweat from her forehead with her long kurta sleeve.

"Sit here, I want to talk to you" he said with a stern face.

"Bolo" with a disinterested face she sat down in the office chair keeping the duster cloth in the table and grabbing the water bottle to quench her thirst.

"You are not ashamed of what you are doing? Itna attitude mat dikha mere saath, smajhi!" he said frustrated.

"Why should I be ashamed? Kissi ka murder kar diya maine, chori kari hain? Have I done some crime? Have I got convicted for a jail sentence jisse aapka sar kat gaya!  sharam se.. Please Anna... keep your thoughts to yourself" she was pissed with her brother, she knew he is very orthodox nature but the way he behaved yesterday in front of parents and then confront her side behind her back, it was unacceptable for her.

"Haa bas ussi ki kaami reh gayi hain... jayada na baatameezi mat kar mere saath" he yelled at her back again.

"Aur aap kar sakthe ho? behind my back planning and bitching about my life. Even I didn't expect that with you..." she rebelled back giving a shock to him as he didn't know she heard what they said.

"What about you? Are you not having an affair behind our back? That too with a North Indian boy! Chaee!!  Our parents have not brought up to see this day, they have always been clear to us that we need to have our life partner of their choice, our caste, religion and culture even if he is a Hindu, they are different Sana, didn't you know that? Why did you do this? They are so upset!!!" He said questioning her frustrated, giving his point of view opposing her, to give her some sense.

"He is a human, Anna. Maine insaan dekh ke pyaar kiya, caste dekh ke nahi! I know how our parents have brought up and they have taught us to love and not discriminate or hate anyone. I value my upbringing and will always follow what Appa has instilled in me" she sated her point of view to him.

"What about our family reputation, our prestige, it will be all ruined just because of your stupid love! Have you thought about Paati(Daadi), Periaappa (Tau, father's brother) and Periamma (Tai,Periappa's wife) our cousins? What will they think of us... you??" he asked.

"No I did not think of anything when I fell for him. Love doesn't hit you with rules, protocols, reputations, and prestige. It just happened too quickly and now I cannot step back. Sid is my life and I cannot fathom my life without him. I will a living dead Anna!" she said getting emotional, tired of turmoil she went through.

"We live here in this place in North part of India since I know... I have friends who are from here, my school, my college, my teachers, my neighbors. We follow so many rituals, festivals, religious practices of them that is not part of ours 'SO CALLED TAMIL BRAHMIN' customs." Sana said agitated, quoting with her fingers. "Do we have Holi festival in Tamil Nadu? Do we have Raksha Bandhan? But still, I tie Rakhi in your wrist anna, you still promise to protect me. I speak Hindi more than Tamil... I am more of them than my genes... It is fine when we opt to live here with them and blend in with their lifestyle and culture but when it's about choosing our husband or wife it should be from our side? Why... Why this prejudice? Why this bias?" she questioned him fire in her eyes, rage in her body language.

Subbu was quiet, he did not have anything to answer her back as he knew that she was right. Even he likes it here in Ghaziabad, in Delhi where he is brought up, schooled and work. He accepted what she said, he would prefer a life partner for himself who lives in this part of the state, but also of his caste, who would understand the lifestyle they live which was way more lenient and forgiving than what he has seen in Chennai when they visited for vacations.